Automatic machine-gun.



s. N. MQGLEAN. AUTOMATIC MAOHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1908.

1,042, 1 Patented Oct. 22', 1912.

16 sums-slum 1.

s. MoOLEAN. AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1908.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WW. I

s. MOGLBAN. AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

AIPLIGATION FILED JUNE 2 1908.

1,042,135. Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

VVENTO/B Alibi 71631 S. N. MOOLBAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 190a.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

- J/WE/VTOR At/ornav Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

S. N. MCOLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATIONI1LED'JURE2,1908.

m UR S. N. MOCLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JnNnz, 1908.

Patented 0013.22, 1912.

18 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

QNMEK A6 R mm & in 3 g N\\ Q m m6 wm uwm NWNNQIK LV/ TN N. ML CLEAN.

AUTUMATIG MAUI-USE GUN,

Awmcnxou mum JUNE 2,1908.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 snBETssHEET 7.

[Avian Tole @ZMMu/Z /7 /%c %@u S. N. MGCLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION TIL ED JUNE 2, 1908.

Patented Oct. 1912.

SHEET s. N. MGCLBAN. AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1908.

Patented Oct. 22,1912.

16 SHEBTS-SHBET 9.

rfffw nay S. Nr MCOLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

.AIPLIGATION 1' LED mum, 190a atented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHIRT 11.

fNI ENTOR Allorrzzy By I S. N. MQCLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN. APPLICATION mum JUNE 2, 1908.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

[NVE/VTUR Af/umey S. N. MGOLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1908.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912. 1a SHEETSSHEET 13.

Altar/m S E M031 BAN AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLIGATIOJ ILLD JUNEZ 1908 s. N. MoGLEAN. AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

urucu'rmn mum 3mm 2,-1908. 1,042, 1 35. Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHIIET-l5.

[AWE/V703 y K Y A Home 1 S. N. MGOLEAN.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION rum) mm: 2, 1908.

Patented 0013.22, 1912.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 16.

[NI/ENTOR Afforncy Uivi'rn sa s FFZCE.

SAMUEL N. MCCLEAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSTGNMENTS, TO

AUTOMATIC ARMS COMPANY.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE-GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22. 1912.

Application filed June 2, 1908. Serial No. 436,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. Mo-CLEAN, a citizen of'the United States, residing at. Cleveland, in' the. county of Cuyahoga, State I of Ohio. have invented certain new and uscof tools.

"A further object of the invcntionis to provide in combination with a discharge actuated inachine gun, a cartridge magazine and feed which willbe simple in construction, certain and effective in operation-and capable of feeding cartridges with positive regularity whatever the angle to which the gun may be elevated or depressed. 1th these general objects in view together with the'other objects hereinafterdescribed, my invention consists in the discharge operated machine gun hereinafter described and thefeatures of construction and colnbination'of elements of such a gun as hereinafter particularly pointed out.

Referring to the drawings :-Figures 1 and 1 are side elevations respectively'of the.

rear portion and forward portion off-the gun.- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of therear portion of'the gun taken from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1 Figs. 3 and 3" are vertical longitudinal sectional views showing. respectively the rear portion and forward port-ionof the gun, the operating slide being shown in its forward'position. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 3- but showing theoperating slide in different positions, Fig. '4 sliowing the slide as it begins to move rearwardafter firing, Fig. 5 showing the operating slide at the point at which the shell has been extracted and is about to be ejected, and Fig. 6 showing the operating slide in its extr'eme rearward'gposition readyto move forward to push a freshcartridge into the breech. Fi 7 is a top plan View of the rear portion of the gun. Fig. 8 is a similar view with the cartridge magazine shown in section. Fig. 9

is a. horizontal-sectional view of the rear portionof the gun. Fig. 10 is a side elevation partly in section sjhowing'the operating slideand the parts operated by it. Fig. 11 is' a rear elevation of the gun with the shoulder bar broken away.-

12 is a rear view of the gun with the cap removed. Figs; 13,- 14. 15, .16, and 17 are cross-sec- Figs. 20 and 21 are respectively side and top views of the detent pawl. Fig. 22 is a. per-- spective view of the cockingslide, Figs. and 2" are detail views respectively of'the catch which holds the cartridge magazine in position, and the safety lever. igs. 26 and 27 are detailvie'ws respectively of the trigger for automatic firing, the trigger for single firing and the sear. Fig. 28'is a bottom view of the breech bolt. Figs. 29, 30 and 31 are detail views showing the bell crank lever and the means for holding it in position. Fig. 32 is a bottom viewof the cartridge magazine. Fig. 33 is a detail view of the end of the bar of the. shoulder rest.

Fig. 34; is a detail sectional view showing the connection of the ist-on and piston rod. Fig. 35 1s a-bot-tom view of a part of the fiat portion of the gun frame vin which the magaz1ne 15 supported, showing the safety lever and abutment... Figs. 36 and 37 are In the drawings 1 is the gun arrel screwthreaded at its rear end into tie receiver 2 which is exteriorly screw-threaded at 3 to engage the gun frame 4, which is preferably is. casting carrying the trunnions 5 and suitably-formed tocarry and support the :operating parts of the gun. The receiver 2 is in a cylindrical tube extending to the rear end ofthe gun frame, provided on its interior with interrupted screw th'reads for engaging compan on interrupted screw- .threads on the 'bree ch bolt, and provided .;also with a;slo-t=6 its upper-forward per? 16, preferably. -hollow, on which the rotary tion to receive the cartridge and has retaining wings 7 at the rear portion of the slot 6 extending slightly into the interior of the recelvcr, adapted to engagethe shell of the".

cartridge as it is fed from the magazine and ghold it with its forward end in position to enter the breech of the gun barrel and its rear'end in position to be engaged by the breech bolt as it moves forward. The. receiver also has formed on its interior longitudinal-grooves or guide/1' 8, between longitudinal ribs 9, for controlling. and timingjthe reciprocating and looking morerrients of the breech-bolt and has also in its upper portion a cam 10 in position to be struck by the ejector. The receiver has a longitudinal slot 11 in its under side to receive and guide the arm of the operating slide.

The gun frame 4 has in upper portion a longitudinal; cylindrical opening 1?? in which the receiver 2 is supported and in its lower port on. a longitudinal. cylindrical openmg 13111 which reciprocates the operating slide by which the breech mechanism and cartridge feeding mechanisms are actuated. Above the breech of the gun barrel 1 the gun frame has a flat portion 14. provided with an opening 15 in line with the slot 6 of the receiver'and has at center a spindle partof the cartridge magazine rotates.

Concentric with the spindle 16 the flatfpor- ,tionE ll is preferably provided with an inclosing cylinder 17 to protect the drum of the cartridge magazine.

Forward of the cylinder 17 the gun frame .4; has-a hollow head 18 adapted to receive the rear end of a cylinder, 19 which incloses '40 the gun barrel 1 and with the head 20 near the muzzle of the gun barrel forms a water "jacket forcoolingthe gun barrel. Beneath the hollow head 18 in line with the lower cylindrical opening 13 the gun frame is provided with a hollow head 21 adapted to receive'the-rear end of 'a gas cylinder 22 in which reciprocates the piston by which the operating slide is actuated. The forward threads 26 preferably interrupted, to receive away preferably from a point slightly for- -wa'rdv of the line of'the' spindle 16 to a' the screw-threads 27 of a cap 28 bywhich the rear ends of the cylinder 13 and receiver 2 areclosed. 1

On one side the lower cyhnder 13 iscut point slightly inrear of the line of the rear side of the cylinder 17 to form an opening through which access may be had Y to the interior ,of the cylinder 13 (Figs. 1 9

.erating slide.

and 17.) 'The gun frame is provided with a hinged door 29 by which this opeuingis closed when the gun is to be used. The gun frame is provided on the side opposite to that on which the hinged door 29 is located, with a guideway 30 parallel with thecyliir ,der 13 and communicating therewith by a slot 31 in whicha cocking slide 32 is adapted to be reciprocated. This slide 32 has secured to it a handle 33-e'xtending outward through a slot 34 in the side-of the guideway 30 and also has 9. lug 35 extending inward into the cylinder 13 to'ehgage the op- A iso on the opposite side to that on which t .e hinged door '29 is located and in its low-e1 portion the gun frame is cut away to form an opening 36 into the cylinder 13'for the discharge of the shells.

The operating slide 37, with its piston 38, piston roo 59, and spring 40 constitutes a single operating partt-hrough the reciprocation ofwhich the cartridge is fed'into position, pushed into the breech of thegun barrel, the breech closed by the breech bolt, the

cartridge fired and the shell withdrawn and ejected. The piston 38 is at the forward end of the piston rod 39 which extends for- This piston fits ward from the slide 37. and if! adapted to reciprocate 1n the gas cylinder 22, and 1s -reciprocated 111 one dlrection by the spring L0 and in the other direction by the gases of discharge. The spring 40 bears at its for --:ard end against the rear face of the piston and at its rear endbears against an abutment- 11 through which the piston rod slides freely, the abutment being held against movement when the gun is to be used, as hereinafter described.

"lhe'hol'low head 23 in which the forward end of the gas cylinder 22 is secured is in communication with the bore of the gun barrel 1 through openings 42 through which a portion of the gases of discharge enters the hollow head and actsjuponthe piston to drive it rearward against the force of the spring 10. The forward end of the hollow head 23 is closedin any convenient manner; preferably by a hollow screw plug 43 provided on its flange with openings 4A so arranged that by unscrewing the plug these openings will be more or less exposedto permit the escape through them of the excess of gas taken. into the gas cylinder. It

will' be apparent that while the projectile is passing through the portion of the barrel between the openings 42 and the muzzle itwill molnentarily act as a valve to check the escape of the gases and divert a portion of them through the openings 42 into thegas cylinder-'23 to drive the piston 38 rearward."

The operating slide 37 is providedon its lower edge with a. guide rib 45 preferably of considerable relative width as shown winch tits and reciprocates in a longitudinal guide groove ell} formed in the bottom of the -1Q-, I, V

'both o'f these shoulders being adapted tobe engaged by the sear as hereinafter described;

cylinder 13. This guide rib is cut away on .;its"under side near its rear end to form a vertical shoulder -17 and an incline 48leadrearward to this shoulder, and is cut awafyfuear its forward end to form a vertical shoulder E59 having an incline 50 leading forwarc'l to the lower edge of this shoulder,

On .its upper side near its rear'end the operating. SllClG' has an upwardly pro1ecting arm .31 which extends through and 1S guided .in a. guide slot. .2 connecting the toward the door 29 the slide 37 has formed therein a cam groove inclined upward toward the rear and terminating at its front end in a horizontal port-ion.- This cam groove is adapted to receive a pin 59 on the rear end of the-horizontal ariri of a bell cranlt lever 60 which is pivctallv mounted on the hinged door 29 and is adapted as hereinafter described to rotate. the cartridge magazine. On its opposite side the slide 37 is provided at-its forward end with a semicircular head 62 adapted to fit the interior of the cylinder 13 and near the arm is provided'with a rearwardly inclined semicircular head 63 also fitting the interior of the cvlinder 13 (Figs.- 9, 15 and 16.) The face of the slide between the heads 62 and (33 is inclined outward toward the lower edge forming a coin face 64: the lower edge of which is in line with the discharge opening 36.

The abutment 11 is preferably cup shaped as shown on its forward face and is circular G8 is the breech bolt (seeFig. i 28') which is.

arrangedtolmve both reciprocating and rotai'y n ioivenient. The forward end of the breech boltis solid exceptjfonacent-ral ta-' *spere open to e e e hey c i In rear of this solid end the breech bolt is bored out and this bored out portion is slotted in its lower side to form a cam slot 69. The forward portions 69 and T0 of the sides of the. cam slot are parallel with each other and with'the axis'of the breech bolt. The side in rear of the portion G9 is cut away to forina portion 69* parallel with the axis of the breech bolt but in a-diiferentplane, the'portions G9 and 69 being con: nected by a cainincline 69 The straight portion 70 extends farther to the rear than does the strai ght" portion 69', and termina tes in a cam 70 inclined rearward and toward the side 69* terminatin about inline with the straight portion (39 T he upper end of the arm-51 is reduced in thickness so as to enter the can: slot 69. The breech bblt'is provided on its exterior with longitudinal ribs 71 provided with locking lugs forming interrupted screw-threads adapted to engage the interrupted screw-threads formed in the longitudinal ribs 9 of the receiver, the ribs "T1 being adapted to slide freely in the longitudinal grooves S- ofthe receiver when disengaged -v frointhe interrupted screw-threads. At its forward end the breech bolt is provided, on opposite'sides, in line with two of the ribs '71, with pivotedextr'actors 72. having their forward ends provided with hooks adapted to engage-the rim of the cartridge shell. and normally spring-pressed inward, and is also provided at its forward end on-its upper side with a pivoted ejector 73 (see Fig. 38) norn'iallv spring-pressed outward away from engagement with the rim of the cartridge b v a spring 7%, and having a cam 7 on its upper edge adapted to be engaged by cain 10in the receiver as the breech bolt moves rearward to effect the ejection-of the cartridge. The upper groove 8 of the receiversee Figs. 1'3 to 16) is preferably made wider than the side grooves to receive the ejector and the breech bolt is provided near its rear end with a guide lug 7 6 in line with'the ejector. In order 'to perrhitthe breech bolt to-ro tate the ribs 9 are'cut away at their forward ends for 'a distance corresponding with the length 'of the extractor and ejector-{and these ribs are also. suitably cut away to allow the guide In 76 to turn'w-ith the breech bolt. "As the operating slide begins to move rearward from its forward position, the'upper endof the arm 51 will travel rearward between the parallel-sides 69 and 70? 'without moving ribs 71"fi'otn the screw-threads of the ribsf9 of the. receiveiaand" asthe iip'per end of the 'ari i continues its rearward "movement it comes against; the-"rear end of the slot (39 and carries the breech-block to' 'thfe rear. On the return movement the upper end 'of the arm 51 carries the breech bolt bodily forward', the breech bolt being prevented from rotating by theenga'gement of its ribs "71 with the grooves 8, until the for-i ward end oft-he breech bolt is in position to be locked. The further forward movement of'the slide brings the upper end of thearm 51 against .the cam incline 69 causing the breech boltto rot ate 'to bring its locking lugs into engagement with. the interrupted screwthreads of the receiver. In this position the slide will'be engaged b5: the sear, as hereinaft-er described,- when the gun is to be used for firing single shots. On releasing the slide by pressing the single shottrigger to depress the 'sear, the slide willcomplete its forward 1noveuient' to drive the firing pin against the cartridge, the upper end of. the arm 51 moving in a straight line between the parallelportions 69- and 70 of the sides of" the camslot.

' The-bell cranlrlever tiO (see Figs. 9, 10,16.

1T, and 1S). is pivoted on a short shaft 77. carried by the door 29 and extending inward in a horizontal plane when the door is in closed position. Its horizontal arm 78 car- 'ries a pin 59 whicln'when thed'oor is closed,

engages thecam groove 55 of the operating i slide 37. Its vertical arm. 80 is provided with a yielding pawl 81 which'extends Lip-'- wardzthrongh a slot-82 in the fiat portion 14 of the gun trame into position to engage Y teeth 83 formed on the lower edge of the drumof the cartridge magazine. These teeth preferably-have square faces on both sides. Pirote'd to the upper part of the inwardly extending portion of the door 29'on a .pivot Si at right angles to theaxis of the shortshaft 77 is alever 85 (see Figs. 9, 10, 16, and 1-9) having a pawl 86. at its upper end adapted, when in raised position, to ex tend through the slot 82 into'engagement' with the forward face of a tooth 83. This 45 pressed by a spring 87 but is normally held pawl is'arranged to be upwardly springin' depressed posit-ion by the engagement with the'tail piece SS-of the lever 85, of a cam 89 carried by the horizontal arm '78 of the bell crank lever 60. As the operating slide 37 moves rearward the cam groove through its engagement with thepin 59 depresses the horizontal arm T8 of the *bell i crank lever and swings the vertical arm forward causing the pawl 81 by its'engagement with a tooth 83 to move the drum of the cartridge magazine forward. As the bell crank lever completes its movement the cam 89 permits the tail piece 88 of the lever to .be depressed and the other end of this lever to be raised by the springBZEto sw-ing is thus, through "the action of thcoperating slide, fed forwardpositively at each forward movement of the slide a definite distanceand any movement in excess of the desired movement-is positively prevented. In. order to lock the] drum against backward movement the fiat portion l tofthe gun. frame is provided at a'convenient point with a spring-presse'd'detent pawl 90 (see Figs. 8

and 20') adapted toyield to permit a tooth 83 to pass over it and to engage the rear face of the tooth to-prevent any backward movenient.

The cartridge magazine (see Figs. 3, 8 and comprises essentially a rotary part provided with teeth 83 tobe engaged by the pawls 81, S6 and 90 and adapted to carry the-cartridges'with it in its-rotation, and a relatively fixed helical or auger guide by which, as the cartridges are-rotated. they are caused to be advanced toward the slot through which they are fed to the breech of the gun. In the present construction the rotary part consists of adrum 9l'hz'u'ing the teet-h83 at. its lower edge and having on its interionvertical inwardly. extending radial wings 92 spaced apart a sufiicient distance to receive between them-the butt-end of acartridge. The helical or auger guide 93, in the present construction, is located within the drum 91 and is in the form of a flat strip or shelf 94: extending-from end to end in the form of a helix about a central cylinder 95 which fits upon the spindle 16, the space. between successive shelves or ponvolutions of. the helix being adapted to receive the bullet end of a cartridge. The lowermost shelf o convolution or-the' helix is so formed as to present a horizointal tace to the flat portion 14 of the gun frame 'on which it rests when in use and is provided with a radial slot 96 to afford iree passage of the lowermost cartridge. In use this slot 9618 located in register with the opening 15 in the I flat portion 1 1, the auger guide being locked in position by means of a pin 97 engaging a hole 98 in the lower face of the guide 93 (Figs. 1.7 and 23.).

" The helical or anger guide 93 and the drum 91 are secured together in any convenient' manner which will permit of their z relative rotation. In the construction shown the head 99 of the drum fits on a shoulder 100-on the outer'end of the cylinder 95 on which it turns freely and is held there by an outer plate 101 securedto the cylinder. This outer plate is preferably provided with an indicator arm 102 which is so. placed that when it is in line with the axis of the gun the slot 96 will be in register with the opening 15 through which the cartridges are fed to thebreech' of the gun.

,lThe cartridge magazine is locked in position by any convenientmeans as by spring catches 103 (see Fig. 23) carried by the inclosing cylinder 17 engaging a peripheral 

